World Animal Protection Canada NEWS - Spring/Summer 2015

News Spring / Summer 2015 Family farms for the future At work for bears Old ghost gear finds new use

See how you saved thousands of animals from disaster

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Contents In every issue 4 From the Executive Director 6 Highlights 8 Making a World of Difference: Before They Book

Features 5 Family farms for the future 10 Cover story: animals in disasters 11 Bear essentials 12 Old ghost gear finds new use 13 Deuxième vie pour les vieux engins de pêche 14 Supporter Spotlight: Q & A 16 Day in the Life: Roberto Vieto, Wildlife Officer

Editor: Catherine Coquerel Contributors: Catherine Coquerel, Josey Kitson, Michaela Miller, Elizabeth Sharpe Designer: Serina Morris Printed by: DT&P CA0015_0415

See page 5 for this story

World Animal Protection / Meridith Kohut

Cover photo: © Kate Holt / World Animal Protection Unless otherwise stated, all images are the copyright of World Animal Protection.

World Animal Protection News is published twice yearly and is printed on 100% recycled paper from post-consumer materials with vegetable-based inks.

World Animal Protection is a registered Canadian charitable organization. No. 12791 9076 RR0001 © World Animal Protection 2015

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Contact World Animal Protection We’d love to hear from you!

World Animal Protection 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 960 Toronto, ON M4P 2Y3 T: 416 369 0044 TF: 1 800 363 9772 F: 416 369 0147 E: info@worldanimalprotection.ca worldanimalprotection.ca World Animal Protection News 3

From the Executive Director

You are my hero Can we count on you to do even more?

Whenever we change the lives of animals, the true star guiding the way is you. You give animals a voice when they can’t speak for themselves. In this issue of News we are honoured to share outstanding moments that wouldn’t be possible without your support.

We bring you a story from Columbia of the Molina family farm on page 5 and with your help we are working to replicate the success of their sustainable farming practices.

Your support of the Before They Book campaign helped get tourists off elephants’ backs and brings us closer to helping other animals caught up in entertainment on pages 8 and 9.

Sign and share the petition inserted in this issue to call upon our government to protect animals in disasters. Visit http://goo.gl/8ELhf2 to find out more.

Bears in many parts of the world suffer when they are forced to dance, to fight or to entertain. On page 11, discover fun facts about bears that have found freedom in sanctuaries.

We take you to the shores of British Columbia on pages 12-13, where a Harbour Supervisor is keeping old fishing gear out of the ocean and changing the fate of our precious marine life. And don’t miss our Supporter Spotlight on page 14 where we introduce one of our longest-standing donors.

This issue brings to light so many ways that you have stood up for animals and supported our work to protect them in Canada and beyond. Your enduring support helps us reach across borders for animals in disasters, which was desperately needed in the last year, and you can read about it on page 10.

Join the conversation on Twitter @MoveTheWorldCA and on Facebook at World Animal Protection Canada.

Check out our YouTube channel to get even closer to the animals you are helping.

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You have responded time and again with crucial donations and letter-writing campaigns, providing hope for animals. You are the solution to the problems they face and your support makes everything possible.

On behalf of animals from every corner of the planet, thank you for helping us move the world to protect animals.

Sincerely,

Josey Kitson Executive Director, World Animal Protection Canada

Family farms for the future At the heart of it, silvopastoral farming is astonishingly simple, though the term may be new to our vocabulary. We are more familiar with terms like pastureraised, organic, cruelty-free and free-range, which at times seem complicated enough.

In South America, the Molina family speak passionately about how their love and respect for animals led them to pioneer their silvopastoral dairy farming project. Instead of open, treeless pastures, silvopastoral farming uses nutrient-packed trees to fence the pasture edges. Animals have total freedom to choose what they want to eat and when, get lots of natural shade and shelter, and can socialize how and when they want.

In factory farms, we see resources being exploited, wasted and eroded. When the land and environment suffer, animals experience poor body condition, disease and even starvation. In silvopastoral farming, every living thing benefits from one another.

“The trees, grasses and animals all interact with each other. It’s a system that puts

All photos: World Animal Protection / Meridith Kohut

nature to work for a common goal,” explains Juan José, the twenty eight-year-old son.

During the past 12 months, we have been working closely with Juan José at El Hatico farm, which is based in the Cauca River Valley, Colombia.

Our mission has been to examine the welfare of animals on this farm and compare it to the welfare of those kept on traditional South American open grazing areas.

In partnership with Colombia’s Cattle Ranching Federation and the Colombia-based Centre for Research on Sustainable Farming Systems, we are working together to show how silvopastoral systems can create a brighter future for animals, people and the environment.

Your support means that we can research and promote these innovative animal and environmentfriendly ways of farming and work towards their adoption around the world.

To find out more about our work to move the world to protect billions of farm animals visit: worldanimalprotection.ca/ourwork/animalsinfarming

The nutrient-rich trees provide food for the animals but also double as hiding spots, making them less prone to fear and anxiety.

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Highlights Responsible tour company adds animal protection to the itinerary We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with adventure travel company World Expeditions to help set their animal welfare in tourism policy. This group has already won awards for responsible tourism and improving the living conditions of some of the most remote communities in the world. Last year, World Expeditions removed all instances of elephant rides from their trips and that simple change inspired even more action for animals.

“We believe that all animals should have a good life and that we have a duty to protect them. We are glad to have World Animal Protection’s guidance on our policy as we know that is the best way to ensure we improve the lives of animals everywhere we travel” says Donna Lawrence, Responsible Travel Manager for World Expeditions.

Sign it and share!

We need your voices again on behalf of animals caught up in disasters. We estimate that 40 million animals die in disasters every year. Many of the world’s poorest people depend on animals for their livelihoods and have to choose between their own safety and their animals when they are displaced because of disasters and have to leave them behind. With your help, we can convince the Canadian government to protect animals and peoples’ lives and livelihoods at the same time. Please sign the petition inserted in this issue and ask more people to sign it, too. You can return the signed petition along with your donation in the attached pre-paid envelope.

Photo: World Animal Protection / Simon de Trey-White

Building a community through animal care Students in one of Mexico’s poorest states are learning how to protect and care for animals at school with our First Concepts in Animal Welfare. “I think the biggest benefit is that we are rescuing the values that are being forgotten by our society – the importance of behaving like real human beings and how to treat our animals and all life forms respectfully,” says one student.

With your support, our education team has already trained 183 school staff and will roll out the program in other schools in the area during the following academic year.

Connect with World Animal Protection 6 World Animal Protection News

See more ways you are helping animals at

worldanimalprotection.ca Without you, our work would be impossible You asked and we answered. We get questions from donors across Canada who want to know a bit more about how their donations are divided. This chart, with information from our audited 2013 Canadian financial statement, gives you a closer look at how your support helps animals. It shows what portion of your donations are spent helping animals through our education work with people around the world who have the power to impact the lives of animals directly as well as our campaign work to improve the lives of animals on farms, in communities, in the wild and during disasters. It’s plain to see that you have built a strong future for animals worldwide, thank you!

API: Strengthening animal welfare and protection laws The animal protection movement in Canada is strong. Animal welfare is high on the public’s agenda, consumers are heading to the grocery stores with more information than ever and the food industry is listening. But did you know that Canada’s animal-cruelty legislation has not been updated significantly since 1892? The Animal Protection Index (API) compares 50 countries based on their animal welfare legislation in a variety of areas from the treatment of farm animals to the protection of wild species. See where Canada ranks at api.worldanimalprotection.org Photo: World Animal Protection / Thomas Alexander

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Sochi bears get a new home In one short week, we received over 130,000 signatures on a petition to remove two bears from Sochi, in Russia, who had spent their lives in squalid conditions in a restaurant. Without you, we would not have been able to work with the Russian national government and convince the bears’ ex-owner to hand them over to be relocated. Their staple diet will no longer be beer and junk food and they now have a chance at a better life. Because you didn’t want these animals to suffer anymore, we were able to act swiftly.

Photo: Big Hearts Foundation

facebook.com/WorldAnimalProtectionCanada twitter.com/@MoveTheWorldCA youtube.com/animalprotectionca World Animal Protection News 7

Making a world of a difference: animals in entertainment Your amazing support has highlighted the holiday horrors of wild animals being cruelly and routinely used for tourist entertainment and has brought about some stunning results.

Many tour companies have already stopped offering and promoting elephant rides and shows to their clients – an important first step of many to bring an end to these other cruel practices:

1 South Africa, Zimbabwe,

Zambia & Mauritius The relentless cycle of unnatural human contact that a cub will experience robs them of two important years of contact with their mother – and it is so stressful they often lose their hair. Routine drugging and other abuse make them compliant enough to walk with tourists, only to be sent to hunting camps when their appeal wears off.

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia)

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2 Thailand, Australia, USA,

Mexico & Argentina Thailand’s Tiger Temple is one of the most famous tiger selfie venues.

But there are 10 other locations in these countries where some 600 tigers are used for tourist entertainment. With their teeth and claws removed, tigers are chained or kept in barren cages under the harsh sun waiting to be cuddled and photographed by tourists.

3 USA, Asia, South America,

Europe, Australia, Caribbean

& South Pacific Most captive dolphins used to entertain tourists will have been chased by high speed boats in the wild and dragged aboard in nets. Those that survive, live out their lives in chlorinated pools far removed from their natural ocean habitat. They will experience skin and eye problems and undue stress caused by captivity and constant human touch.

Photo: iStock. by Getty Images

4 India, Asia & Indonesia Thousands of baby macaques are wrenched from their shot mothers’ arms each year and used for various entertainment purposes.

Whether they are forced to dance, play guitars, ride bikes or fetch coconuts, the training methods inflicted upon them are brutal.

Beatings, chaining and hanging for hours to force them to stand upright are not uncommon.

5 South-east Asia, South Africa,

Botswana, Zimbabwe & Argentina The constant psychological and physical abuse an elephant will undergo starts when they are just a few weeks old and lasts decades. Isolation, starving, hitting and beating are used to control them and render them compliant enough to carry tourists on their delicate backs.

These experiences linger on in the form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, just like humans.

Avoid animal encounters like these ones and be a compassionate tourist.

Download our helpful guide: http://goo.gl/4E5eWy

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Deploying for animals in disasters From Malawi to the Philippines, from Indonesia to Cabo Verde and Vanuatu, we have seen some of the worst natural disasters in the last six months.

When a volcano erupts, wind whirs to cyclone speeds or water gathers in torrential downfalls, people are forced to flee their homes and leave their shattered lives behind. And too often, they’re left to imagine the fate of their animals. When we help animals in disasters, we also help people get back up on their feet and resume their lives as smoothly as possibly. Disasters knock down more than just homes. They wipe out entire crops, kill vital livestock, endanger precious pets and leave communities with large messes and often little resources. This is where your support makes a world of a difference. Our disaster management team is ready to deploy as soon as disaster strikes.

Here are updates from a few of the areas where you helped.

Cabo Verde/Fogo Island

An estimated 40 million animals die from disasters every year

A volcano is a complicated wonder of nature. Its surrounding area hosts some of the most fertile land for farming. But when they erupt, the allure is gone. Last year, on Fogo Island, in Cabo Verde, we saw this thriving community devastated in an instant. Since then, you have helped us provide emergency feed for an estimated 2,400 animals as well as food for two months as the local government raised sufficient funds for their long term care. And we were able to deliver veterinary supplies and medications to keep an estimated 20,100 animals healthy as they recover from the effect of relocation, illness and ashfall.

Chikwawa, Malawi

In rural animal-based economies, 2/3 of all low-income livestock keepers are women

In early January, the communities of Chikwawa were devastated by unexpected heavy rainfall. An estimated 37% of animals in poor farming households succumbed to diseases as a result. So, when Malawi’s Director of Veterinary Services asked World Animal Protection to help communities and animals in the region, we knew we could count on you. Since February, our team has been on the ground to provide emergency veterinary attention and vaccinations for some 355,000 livestock in need. With your help, we can deliver relief to nearly 2,500 households who depend on their animals for food security.

Vanuatu archipelago

1.3 billion of the world’s poorest people depend on animals for their livelihoods and food security 10 World Animal Protection News

Our team was on the ground days after Cyclone Pam tore through Vanuatu mid-March. Because of your support, we quickly assessed the situation and delivered veterinary treatment whenever needed. We were able to put in place an emergency feed delivery program, which will cover nearly 30,000 animals for up to two months as the worst hit islands slowly recover. Our disaster management team worked alongside government livestock and agriculture officers to bring awareness to the importance of proper animal care in improving livelihoods and during the recovery process.

Photo: World Animal Protection / Nicky Kauatonga

At work for bears Since 2010, you have funded Balkasar – our beautiful sanctuary for former baited bears in Pakistan – run by our hardworking partner, the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC). We asked them to share some bear essentials about their work, the sanctuary and, of course, the bears.

Safe haven Once a site popular with wildlife hunters, the fenced in sanctuary now forbids this practice and houses 33 rescued bears, but it also offers a safe haven to 185 bird species, foxes, jackals, wolves, wild cats, wild boars and pangolins.

Food matters The bears that come to the sanctuary often have had terrible diets, which can include scraps and garbage. Your donations make sure they get the food they deserve, including cereals, meat, fruits and vegetables, as well as the plants, grasses and shrubs that grow on the grounds.

Caring for bears There are five people who work at the Balkasar site. But sometimes there could be up to 12 when researchers and academics come to stay. The sanctuary provides such a wealth of information that ecologists, scientists and other scholars want to record every single day time and night time movement of the bears.

Developing sanctuary success You have made Balkasar the type of sanctuary admired by scientists, government officials and other organizations that work with bears and wildlife. They often ask to see BRC’s work in action and are impressed by the cost-effectiveness and success of all our programs. Universities also visit to study the site’s different ecological aspects.

Photo: BRC

Sahib Rahim (pictured above) not only manages the sanctuary, but his expertise in botany has proven to be a great asset as the bears benefit from his passion for wild plants. The bears feast on the local grasses and plants he has introduced to the sanctuary.

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Old ghost gear finds new use It’s hard to think about the thousands of animals – whales, dolphins, turtles and birds – that get caught and die in lost and discarded fishing gear, or ghost gear, every year. Most of us have seen amazing videos or read heartbreaking stories about whales caught in nets and the often daring rescues that have to happen to save them.

These rescues are so important to protect our precious ocean life but what if we could prevent old nets from getting into the ocean in the first place?

That’s exactly what Joel Baziuk, Operations Supervisor at Steveston Harbour Authority in British Columbia, is doing.

We had the pleasure of visiting Joel in late March to hear more about the net recycling program he is involved in with partners Aquafil and Interface Inc. to turn old nets into carpet tiles and other products.

Joel’s initial interest in this program was environmental, as previously the only way to deal with old nets was burning them or piling them in a landfill but it was the impact on animals that really drove it home. “Although recycling for its own sake is a noble initiative, what really motivates me to grow this program is our ability to help prevent ghost gear from entering the environment and causing such enormous harm to marine animals – in my eyes, this is what really makes this project special”, he said.

With the first load already shipped to the Aquafil plant in Slovenia, Joel is looking for ways to expand the program to as many other harbours as possible. Local fishers get a second source of income as well. Joel employs them in the off-season to prepare the 40,000 pounds of nylon netting needed for each load.

During our visit we heard Joel say, “I just want to make things better than the way I found them.” It’s safe to say that he is well on his way.

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Local fisherman helping to prepare the nets.

Through our Sea Change campaign we are working with individuals like Joel, fishing businesses and governments to stop ghost gear from getting into the ocean, removing it wherever possible and supporting rescue efforts around the world.

Help us save 1 million animals by 2018. To find out how, visit worldanimalprotection.ca/SeaChange Joel and World Animal Protection staff separating old nets to be recycled.

Deuxième vie pour les vieux engins de pêche Il est triste de penser aux milliers d’animaux— baleines, dauphins, tortues, oiseaux—pris dans les engins de pêche abandonnés et qui en meurent chaque année.

On connait presque tous ces horribles histoires de baleines prises dans les filets et les audacieuses opérations de sauvetage qu’il faut déployer pour les sauver.

Ces opérations sont cruciales pour protéger notre précieuse faune marine, mais imaginez plutôt qu’on puisse empêcher les filets de se perdre dans l’océan.

Dans le cadre de notre campagne Changements en profondeur, nous collaborons avec des gens comme Joel, des entreprises de pêche et des gouvernements pour prévenir l’accumulation d’engins de pêche dans l’océan, les retirer là où c’est possible et appuyer les opérations de sauvetage partout au monde.

C’est exactement ce que fait Joel Baziuk, le superviseur des opérations à l’Administration portuaire de Steveston, en Colombie-Britannique. Nous avons eu le plaisir de le rencontrer, à la fin mars, pour en savoir plus sur le programme de recyclage de filets, auquel il participe avec Aquafil et Interface Inc., pour transformer les vieux filets de pêche en carreaux de tapis et autres produits.

Joel s’est d’abord intéressé au programme pour des raisons d’environnement, car la seule façon de se débarrasser des vieux filets était de les empiler dans les décharges ou de les brûler, mais c’est l’impact sur les animaux qui l’a vraiment motivé. « Si recycler pour recycler est noble en soi, ce qui m’a réellement motivé à développer le programme c’est que nous avons de pouvoir d’empêcher les engins de pêche de polluer l’environnement, où ils font un tort énorme à la faune marine.

Pour moi, c’est ce qui rend ce projet spécial », affirme-t-il.

Comme la première cargaison est arrivée à Aquafil, en Slovénie, Joel cherche déjà des façons d’élargir le programme à un maximum de ports. Pour les pêcheurs locaux, il s’agit d’une deuxième source de revenus. Pendant la basse saison, Joel les embauche pour préparer les 18 000 kilos de filets de nylon requis pour chaque cargaison.

Pendant notre visite, nous avons entendu Joel dire: « Je cherche simplement à améliorer ce que je vois. » On peut affirmer sans crainte qu’il est sur la bonne voie.

Aidez-nous à sauver un million d’animaux d’ici 2018. Découvrez comment, en visitant fr.worldanimalprotection.ca/travail/animalsinthewild/Sea-change-campaign.aspx

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Supporter spotlight Le coin des sympathisants : Leonore Loft

Leonore receiving our World Animal Protector award last year.

When did you first become involved with World Animal Protection?

Quand avez-vous commencé à travailler avec Protection mondiale des animaux?

My history with World Animal Protection began in the mid1970s. John Walsh, the organization’s founder, introduced me to what was then known as the International Society for the Protection of Animals, or ISPA. We talked and corresponded often. I believed so strongly in the work that I did research for the organization, looking for corporations that might become supporters.

Mon histoire avec Protection mondiale des animaux remonte au milieu des années 1970. John Walsh, le fondateur, m’a fait connaitre l’organisation, qui s’appelait à l’époque l’International Society for the Protection of Animals, ou l’ISPA. On se parlait et on s’écrivait souvent. Je croyais si profondément à la mission de l’organisation que j’ai commencé à faire de la recherche pour eux : je cherchais des entreprises prêtes à les appuyer.

What is one of your most memorable experiences with World Animal Protection?

Quelle est votre expérience la plus marquante avec Protection mondiale des animaux?

My participation last year in Sharing Dance, a new fundraising event in Toronto where I supported World Animal Protection was very memorable as I love to dance. I was thrilled to be working with staff and with other supporters in a way that brought us together so energetically and with so much joy.

L’an passé, j’ai participé à l’activité de financement Sharing Dance à Toronto, pour appuyer Protection mondiale des animaux : un évènement inoubliable parce que j’adore danser. J’étais ravie de travailler avec le personnel et des sympathisants, on débordait d’énergie et on s’est tous bien amusé.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about donating, volunteering, or getting involved in one of our events?

Que diriez-vous à ceux qui songent à faire un don, à faire du bénévolat ou à participer à l’une de nos activités?

The organization can accomplish so much more than we as individuals would be able to do alone. I share my home and my life with two cats and a dog, Amédée, Pastiche and Garance, but World Animal Protection enables me to help the many millions of animals I will never meet.

L’organisation parvient à faire tellement plus que ce que chacun de nous pourrait accomplir seul. Je partage mon quotidien avec deux chats et un chien, Amédée, Pastiche et Garance, mais grâce à Protection mondiale des animaux, j’aide aussi des millions d’autres animaux, que je ne verrai jamais.

For more information on how you can be considered for the World Animal Protector award, please contact:

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Plus savoir comment vous pouvez présenter une demande au titre du prix de Protecteur mondial des animaux, veuillez contacter :

Tammy O’Dwyer Leadership Giving Director / Directrice des partenariats 416 369 0044 x124 tammyodwyer@worldanimalprotection.ca

Give to World Animal Protection and help make more good news stories for animals.

The work described in this magazine would not be possible without the financial support of individuals who, like you, are passionate about animals. Strengthen your support for World Animal Protection and help stop the suffering of animals around the world. Donate today. Tax receipts will be issued automatically for donations of $20 or more.

Visit worldanimalprotection.ca/donatetoday to make an online donation Call 1 800 883 9772 to donate by phone Connect with World Animal Protection: worldanimalprotection.ca World Animal Protection Canada 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 960, Toronto, ON M4P 2Y3 T: 1 800 363 9772 F: 1 416 369 0147 E: info@worldanimalprotection.ca Charitable Registration #12971 9076 RR0001

Day in the life of Roberto Vieto Thank you for everything you are doing to helps us save Amazonian pink river dolphins (Botos) from cruel slaughter.

Your support means Roberto Vieto, our wildlife officer in Brazil, can campaign for the protection of these beautiful animals. Here, he shares one of his days in the Amazon.

8:00 am We travel by boat with members of a sustainable fishing program towards Monte Cristo, a small community in the Amazon. I’m still stunned by the distinctive pink colour of the Botos when they pop their heads out of the water beside us.

11:00 am We learn from fishers of the economic struggles that make them continue to use dolphins as bait even though they like dolphins, and propose ecotourism opportunities with the Botos instead.

1:00 pm We engage with local students and teachers to introduce animal welfare education and how they might use it to educate against the cruel killing of Botos. We use interactive tools to help us talk about the hidden truths of the practice and

what it is doing to the region’s most iconic mammals.

3:00 pm Back on the boat, we head towards another community. Each sighting of a Botos dolphin is a great moment. Sometimes they get so close we can hear them breathe!

5:30 pm Our next community educational activity attracts younger kids and their parents. We ask them to support our campaign by signing our petition to protect Botos. Because our conversations and activities have helped them understand the threat to Botos they are eager to sign.

6:00 pm The Amazon comes alive as night falls and we set up our hammocks for sleep and talk of tomorrow’s plans as the captain steers the boat on its way.

Fishing village: In some Amazon communities, Botos are cruelly and illegally hunted for fishing bait.

Wildlife campaigner: Roberto Vieto

Future hopes: Roberto and local children that he educates about the need for Boto protection.

Iconic creature: The Botos is unique to the Amazon but is under threat because of being used for bait to catch Piracatinga fish.

Roberto’s activities on this particular trip is just one aspect of the huge amount of work you make possible to stop the slaughter of dolphins. To find out more visit worldanimalprotection.ca/get-involved and sign the petition.